Flexible Input, Dazzling Output with IBM i

by Rafael Victória-Pereira

Overview

Link your IBM i system to the modern business server world! This book presents easier and more flexible ways to get data into your IBM i system, along with rather surprising methods to export and present the vital business data it contains. You'll learn how to automate file transfers, seamlessly connect PC applications with your RPG programs, and much more. Input operations will become more flexible and user-proof, with self-correcting import processes and direct file transfers that require a minimum of user intervention. Also learn novel ways to present information: your DB2 data will look great on program-generated spreadsheets and browser-based, interactive charts. All the solutions presented are based on existing open-source tools or were created from scratch by the author. The full source code, plus sample programs that are easy to understand and adapt, are provided with the book. Readers can integrate these input/output methods into their own applications, providing flexible, integrated, and modern solutions—all from RPG ILE programs, without having to increase the application landscape complexity with new servers and programming languages.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781583478325
Publisher:	MC Press, LLC
Publication date:	10/22/2014
Edition description:	None
Pages:	444
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Rafael Victória-Pereira is a consultant for CPI Consulting in Portugal and an analyst and developer with more than 15 years of IBM i experience. He is a frequent writer of IBM i technical tips, with a focus on interfacing IBM i with other servers and clients and getting the system to send e-mails, use web services, and generate user-friendly web pages. His areas of expertise include System i, Lotus Domino/Notes, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, and Python, among other languages and technologies.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments v

Introduction 1

Book Structure and Organization 2

Naming Conventions 3

Generic Compilation Instructions 3

Open Source Tools Used in This Book 4

Part 1 Flexible Input 7

Chapter 1 Automate Data Transfers Using FTP 9

Authorization Lists 13

The Authority-Checking Process for Objects Using Authorization Lists 14

Selling It to Your SysAdmin 18

Chapter 2 Automate FTP in "Real Life" via LotusScript 19

The Lotus Domino Agent 21

RMTCMD and REXEC 28

Chapter 3 Transfer a PC Text File to an IBM i Physical File in One or Two Easy Steps 31

In One Step 31

Or Two 32

Drawbacks to FTP 34

Chapter 4 Get Real-Time Integration Between Your PC Application and IBM i 37

The VB Side of the Interface 39

And the RPG Side 45

Chapter 5 Import CSV Files with File Correcting 53

Main Program Analysis 54

The DBH_INV Service Program 71

The CSVPRC Service Program 77

The SQLPRC Service Program 95

Chapter 6 Send Email from an RPG Program 99

Requirements 130

Other Procedures 130

Email Address-Related Procedures 130

Mime & Mail Sending Procedures 132

Miscellaneous Procedures 133

How to Configure Your IBM i to Send Email 134

Where to Go from Here 137

Part 2 Dazzling Output 139

Chapter 7 Easily Transform Legacy Printouts into Excel Files 141

A Quick Java Rundown 142

RPG Support for Java 145

Now That You Know a Little About Java, We Can Continue 148

The Hard Way 148

The Easy Way 161

Wow. That Was Easy! But How Does It Work? 164

The Even Easier Way 177

Easy, But 182

Easy, Easy, Easy 182

Chapter 8 Generate Professional Charts in Real Time 189

The Pie Chart 191

The Bar Chart 207

The Geo Map Chart (Location Name Mode) 220

The Geo Map (GPS Mode) 239

The Gauge Chart 251

The Column, Line, and Area Charts 263

The Intensity Map Chart 278

The Combo Chart 285

The "Bars of Stuff" and "Piles of Money" Charts 293

The Table API and Chart Interactions 301

The Tree Map Chart 313

Final Thoughts on Google's Chart APIs 320

Chapter 9 BLOBs Keep PDF, XLS, and Other Reports Safe in DB2 321

What's a BLOB and What Can You Use It For? 321

Now That You Know What It Is, Here's How to Use It! 325

Final Thoughts 334

Part 3 Going Global 335

Chapter 10 GPS-Enable Your Database! 337

Implementing the Steps 340

A Quality Issue 359

Multiple Results 360

Final Thoughts 360

Chapter 11 Using GeoNames Web Services to Collect Geo-Related Data 361

The Time Zone Web Service 362

The Country Code and Country Info Web Services 375

The Find Nearby Points of Interest Web Service 396

The Find Nearby Wikipedia Entries Web Service 409

Final Thoughts 420